U.S. Pat. No. 7,613,919 discloses systems, computer program products and methods for authentication using a one-time password. In a system that includes a client, a service provider, and an authentication service, the authentication service generates an authentication service identifier for the client. Any suitable identifier may be used for the authentication service identifier, which generally takes the form of an arbitrary number of characters. From the client, the authentication service receives a client moniker, such as a username for the client to use when accessing the authentication service. The authentication service sends a one-time password to the client for the client to use in accessing the service provider. When the authentication service receives a one-time password from the service provider, the authentication service sends the authentication service identifier for the client to the service provider to authenticate the client if the one-time password received from the service provider matches the one-time password sent to the client.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,613,919 is thus one example of documents that disclose techniques for enhancing conventional username/password-based authentication schemes with one-time passwords (“OTP”). A problem with such techniques disclosed is that the use of the username and a long-term password is required. This is a problem for the users who must manage and remember combinations of usernames and passwords, which should be different for each and every service or service provider accessed by the user. This is also a problem for the service providers who have to ensure that the usernames are unique within the user community. Yet another problem associated with the technology of U.S. Pat. No. 7,613,919 is that it burdens the service providers with authentication tasks. In other words, each service provider must address authentication issues separately. Similarly, EP 1871065 discloses a technique wherein the task of authenticating users is performed by the service provider itself.
It is an object of the present invention to alleviate at least one of the problems identified above.